


We've Come Back From a Colorless World

by northernlass49



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Minor Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2018-01-10 22:57:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1165587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/northernlass49/pseuds/northernlass49
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jon is recalled from the Wall to assume duties of a different nature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We've Come Back From a Colorless World

The first raven arrived at Castle Black just as the last of the winter snows were receding and there was a hint of the coming spring in the air. Sam brought it to Jon's solar where he was reviewing the accounts and purchase orders.

"It's from the Queen", Sam announced breathlessly.

Jon took the message from Sam and read it carefully. It was a plea from his aunt, requesting that her favorite nephew reconsider his position as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and return to Kings Landing immediately to assume duties more worthy of a crown prince of the ruling family. She reminded him that his oath to serve the Night's Watch was null and void because, after all, he did technically die when his own men stabbed him repeatedly. If not for the intervention of the red priestess it was clear that he would not be alive today. 

Jon is a man of few words so he wasted only one in reply:"No".

The second raven arrived a fortnight later as Jon watched Grenn put the new recruits through their paces in the muddy training yard. He recognized Aegon's handwriting as soon as the note was unfurled. Aegon asked that his only brother reconsider his priorities, that he should consider his obligation to the Watch to be at an end and that he needed to return to the bosom of his family in Kings Landing as soon as possible. 

"Family first, Jon" Aegon concluded, "then duty and honor".

"He thinks me a bloody Tully" Jon muttered under his breath. 

He loves his brother dearly so he returned to his quarters to compose a more detailed and nuanced response. He acknowledged that he did indeed "die", thus ending his obligation to serve the Night's Watch. But before he reassumed his duties as Lord Commander he repeated those same vows before the heart tree beyond the Wall. He then outlined all the goals he had yet to accomplish as Lord Commander such as aiding the Free Folk who were still struggling in their efforts to settle in the Gift. Added to that were reports of more strange sightings beyond the Wall. 

Jon believed that this would be the end of the discussion until the third raven arrived. This time he recognized the handwriting as that of the Lord Hand. This message was different from the previous two in that it was an order rather than a request. It stated that Jon Targaryen, formerly Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, was released from his duties to the Night's Watch immediately once Cotter Pyke, commander of Eastwatch, was able to assume the position of interim Lord Commander. An election would then be held in due time to appoint a new leader.

Jon was outraged.

"They can't do this. The Watch takes no part in the affairs of the realm. They have no right to arbitrarily sever my relationship with the Watch" he fumed. 

Sam gestured for Jon to pass him the note. He read it quickly, paled and then excused himself, muttering something about going to the library.

Jon paced nervously as he considered his next move. He despised Kings Landing. He had been there once and it was one time too many. The overwhelming heat and the stench of too many people crowded into too small a space was too much for his sensibilities. He stayed just long enough to attend the wedding of Daenerys and Aegon and their subsequent coronation before making his excuses to return north.

Sam returned with a large book which proved to be a history of the Watch.

"There is a precedent for this which the Lord Hand cites, one that he must have recalled from when he stayed with us years ago. He spent a great deal of his time here in the library. A previous brother of the Night's Watch, who was also a member of the ruling family, was successfully released from his vows when the laws of succession were in jeopardy and his family was in danger of being extinguished" Sam explained.

And I believed that Tyrion was my friend, thought Jon sourly.

And now he understood. It had long been rumored that Daenerys was barren. No doubt there was pressure from the small council for Aegon to take a second wife, a fertile girl who could ensure that the Iron Throne would remain in Targaryen hands. They couldn't risk having the realm bleed again, having suffered enough through the War of the Five Kings. Jon was certain that Daenerys' reaction to this news would have been rage and the threat of dragonfire to all those involved. Although he admired his fiery little aunt in her single-minded pursuit of the throne and her determination to fulfill what she saw as her destiny, he feared that her marriage to Aegon was merely a means of placating those who recognized Aegon's better claim to the throne. It was apparent to all that she barely shared power with Aegon so it was unlikely she would tolerate another rival. Instead, he pondered morosely, she would have me return to Kings Landing to be a horse put out to stud...to face a seemingly endless parade of well-bred fillies from which to choose a mate and breed with for the sake of family continuity.

I could make my way to Braavos and offer my services as a sellsword, thought Jon glumly. He shook his head free of such thoughts. He couldn't abandon his family and, besides, Daenerys would hunt him down in due course as she had spies in every port.

"Jon", continued Sam, "there is more to the letter. Tyrion writes that they do not necessarily require you to return to Kings Landing. Instead, you have the choice of returning to Winterfell. If you do then the Crown is offering men and materials to rebuild the great castle. In addition, you will be appointed Warden of the North and, in time, consideration may be made to make the North semi-autonomous, as long as you can keep the northern lords in line. In return for all of this, you must agree to marry your cousin, Sansa. She has recently returned to Winterfell and awaits your decision".

Oh you clever imp, thought Jon. The prospect of marriage to a woman he once knew as his sister was instantly made more palatable with the prospect of gaining all that he had once desired and avoiding going south again. But he recalls refusing a similar offer from another monarch in the not too distant past. 

"No" had been his reply, "Winterfell belongs to my sister, Sansa".

Jon slumped in his chair while Sam looked at him uneasily, the message still clutched in his fist. Tyrion's words implied that Sansa had already agreed to this arrangement, that, in effect, the deal had already been sealed with the Crown's approval. 

"Why would she agree to this?" Jon wondered out loud. Sam shook his head with a sad expression on his face. 

"It must be difficult for her. She must feel so alone with her family home in ruins and her family either dead or scattered to the four winds. Under those circumstances anyone would jump at such an offer, even if it meant having to wed a man she previously knew as her bastard brother".

"Half-brother" Jon responded. "She was always quick to make that distinction. And now I am her cousin and a distant cousin at that".

Jon had not seen Sansa in years, not since they both parted Winterfell the same day to follow different paths. Jon journeyed north to the Wall to take his place within the Watch while Sansa travelled south to become queen of the realm...a plan that was dashed when Joffrey took her father's head and Robb led a rebellion in retaliation. He had thought of her periodically over the years, a pretty girl with bright red hair, a proper little lady who loved sewing, music and dancing. He was surprised to learn that she had returned to the north, half expecting her to remain south with her mother's family in Riverrun. 

There is more Stark in her than I realized, thought Jon. 

Jon sent messages to both Tyrion and Sansa the next morning to let them know that he would be arriving in Winterfell within a moon's turn. He then set about making arrangements to transfer temporary leadership of the Watch into Cotter Pyke's capable hands.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jon and Ghost reached the main gate of Winterfell just as the sun was beginning to go down. They were admitted by one of the sentries and accompanied to the great hall while one of the stable boys looked after Jon's horse and his pack. Jon and Ghost were left on their own in the hall while a maid was sent to fetch her mistress. While he waited for Sansa to arrive, Jon took the time to survey the damage done by the Bolton bastard. The room was mainly empty except for some broken furniture piled in a corner and tattered tapestries on the walls. The walls were streaked with soot and there was nesting material hanging from the rafters. Ghost moved around the perimeter of the room sniffing in the corners. 

"Welcome back, Jon".

He turned to greet his former sister. She was a woman grown now. Sansa had always been tall but now she was almost as tall as Jon. She wore a simple blue woolen dress that flattered her slim frame and her rich auburn hair was bound in a single braid which hung down the the center of her back. She was very beautiful with high cheekbones and full red lips and resembled her late mother so closely that she might have been her ghost. She held out her hand in greeting. He took it and raised it to his lips to kiss it. Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement as he raised his gaze to meet hers. Ghost circled her skirts and licked at her other hand. She laughed and ran her fingers through the ruff at Ghost's neck. 

"I think we can dispense with any formalities, Jon" she smiled as she laced her fingers with his. She tugged on his hand to lead him out of the room, Ghost taking up the rear. 

"I have prepared father's chambers for you to use. The stable boy will bring your belongings up shortly so you can change before joining me in my solar for a light supper" she informed him briskly. Jon stopped so suddenly that Sansa almost lost her balance. She turned around and saw his stricken face.

"Sansa, I cannot...I cannot sleep in our...your father's rooms" he said huskily, his voice full of emotion.

A look of irritation flashed across Sansa's face. 

"Jon, you are a Targaryen prince and possibly the future lord of Winterfell", she said as she held out her arms in a gesture of helplessness. "Where else should you sleep...your old room, the nursery...?"

Her face softened.

"There are few habitable rooms left in Winterfell. We have had so much to do with so few resources and father's rooms were left somewhat untouched, as were my mother's" she explained patiently.

Jon hesitated briefly before nodding in agreement. It wouldn't do any good to argue with her over this, she was only being practical. 

After washing and changing his clothes, Jon joined Sansa in what used to be her mother's chambers. Ghost had already wandered off, no doubt exploring the rest of the keep. A table was already laid for two with a loaf of bread and a meager assortment of dried fruit and meats to eat. 

"I'm sorry, Jon" she said as she gestured towards the food."It's not much but game is still very scarce. But once spring is finally here and we can begin reconstruction of the glass gardens then eventually food should become more plentiful".

"Don't apologize, Sansa. I'm used to this. The rations at the Wall are not much better. The war has taken its toll on all of us".

They dined together quietly, exchanging superficial pleasantries. When they finished, Sansa moved her chair closer to the hearth, gesturing to Jon to join her.

"We have much to discuss, you and I" she declared while pouring more wine for both of them. "But first I have a confession to make".

She turned to look directly into Jon's eyes.

"The marriage contract was my idea" she announced.

She saw the look of astonishment in his eyes.

"Before I left for the north, I was summoned to Kings Landing. The Crown knew of my plans to return to Winterfell to reclaim my birthright. They needed assurances that I would continue to bend the knee and pledge fealty to the Crown. While I was there, I spent an evening with Tyrion to discuss reparations. During the course of the meal, Tyrion confided in me of the Queen's infertility and his plan to withdraw you from the Wall and return you to Kings Landing to take a wife. But he had concerns that the stultifying atmosphere of the city would not be suitable for you. Despite how angry you might be with Tyrion at this moment, Jon, he is still your friend. Mayhaps it was partially due to having had too much wine but it was at this point that I proposed that you and I be pledged to marry".

She paused at this point to gauge his reaction. His grey eyes had narrowed and his jaw was tight with tension. She sighed and continued her story.

"Everyone expected me to take a husband again as soon as I emerged from the Eyrie as Sansa Stark. My marriage to Tyrion had already been set aside by the Sept as it was unconsummated. The pressure to marry became almost unbearable as raven after raven arrived at Riverrun bearing offers from all corners of the realm. And I rejected them all. But, I knew I needed help and, the gods save us all, I knew I needed protection from any more unwanted suitors. So I chose you, Jon".

"Why?" he asked fiercely. "Surely marriage to any man other than your former bastard brother would have been a better choice?"

She tapped her fingers against the goblet while she pondered her response. She leaned in closer to him. 

"Isn't it obvious, Jon? None of those men love this place as much as we do. None of those men love me...me, Sansa Stark, like you do. Mayhaps I remembered the boy who pledged to be my sworn sword when you were but six and I was three. And mayhaps it was memories of us playing happily together as children and, later, of how I taught you how to dance and impress girls. Our memories of happier times are tied to this place, Jon. You belong here as much as I do despite how my mother felt about it. We were both raised by the same father, to be a reflection of his values and beliefs. Never mind that we have had to compromise those values to survive this nasty war...we emerged victorious because we still live!"

She drew a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing.

"I need you, Jon. I need your strength, your steadfastness and your devotion. Your may be a Targaryen now but you are every bit a Stark in my eyes as me. And, mayhaps, in time, we could learn to love each other as a husband and wife should and build a life together as a family again".

She sat back, folded her hands in her lap and regarded him closely. She could see the conflicting emotions on his face as he turned his head to face the fire. He then stood and she thought that he might leave her abruptly, rejecting her outright. Instead, he reached down, grasped both her hands and pulled her gently to her feet. He then wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly before loosening his grip.

"May I take this as a yes?" she asked in a teasing manner, relieved that the tension seemed to have dissipated. 

"You may" he replied with a small smile. "I will send a raven to Tyrion tomorrow confirming the success of his plan. However, I don't like being manipulated and I will remind him that this will not be tolerated in future, despite my entire family being co-conspirators in his scheme".

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

They stood clutching each other in a dark quiet corner of the keep, away from the prying eyes of the servants.

"You know" panted Sansa as Jon left a trail of kisses along her neck, his beard creating a lovely tickling sensation, "we don't have to wait the fortnight until the wedding".

Jon moved on the sensitive patch of skin behind her ear and Sansa moaned in appreciation.

"And it is precisely because the wedding is in only a fortnight that I think we should wait" he replied, his breath hot on her cheek.

She pulled back and pouted at him.

"Why? If you were to get me with child now nobody would notice that the babe was conceived before the wedding" she responded in a huff.

Jon stood pressed against her with one hand on her shoulder and the other stroking her shining hair. Her eyes were bright and challenging.

He hesitated, wanting to choose his words carefully so as not anger her and make her feel rejected.

"Sansa" he pleaded softly, cupping her face and stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I just feel it would be a betrayal of your father's memory to lie with his daughter before marriage, especially in our childhood home. And I would have nightmares of all those stern Stark Kings of Winter looking upon us with disgust and loathing at our lack of restraint".

"Besides" he added, "since we are to become the Lord and Lady of Winterfell, I want no suggestion that we did anything inappropriate before marriage. I don't want you to endure a sullied reputation. And although I am a Targaryen prince, I am still a bastard born. And you know what they say about bastards...?"

"That they are lusty" replied Sansa with a mischievious grin.

Jon cleared his throat and looked at her with heavy lidded eyes.

"I want you, Sansa...you know I do. But it's important to be patient and wait. Wolves are patient hunters, waiting until the time is just right to attack and take down their prey" said Jon.

She frowned, unhappy with the analogy.

"Do you meant to stalk and corner me on our wedding night before taking me down to the floor to savage me?" she teased.

"Would you prefer that I unleash the dragon and take you with fire and blood?" he replied, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

They both burst out laughing at the absurdity of their words.

He leaned down to kiss her firmly on the mouth, his tongue chasing hers. He withdrew with a sigh.

"I promise that our wedding night will be worth waiting for" he vowed.

"I intend to hold you to that, Jon Snow. There will be no oathbreaking as far as I am concerned" she said firmly.

He smiled at her use of his former name. He loved the easy intimacy they had achieved over the intervening weeks since they had announced their intentions to family and friends. Tyrion had been as good as his word with men and supplies pouring into Winterfell almost immediately. Their days were long and arduous as they oversaw the reconstruction, ordered supplies, changed plans and mediated disputes between the trades. Most evenings they were too exhausted after the meal to keep company for long, often stumbling off to their separate rooms early after a quick kiss goodnight. Eventually, as they grew accustomed to the rapid pace at which their lives were changing they also started to take a renewed interest in each other. 

The physical attraction to each other was understandable. Sansa's beauty was already the subject of songs. And Jon, who had been a handsome boy, had grown into an even more handsome man. He reminded Sansa of her father so much that it made her ache at times. She loved the way that his dark, unruly hair curled around his face, his lovely straight nose and his dark expressive eyes that flashed violet at times. Sometimes she watched him work in the yard as he supervised the workers and helped carry timber. It was evident that he carried a lot of muscle underneath his vestments and she fantasized about running her hands over his bare chest and arms.

Love bloomed earlier than either of them expected. It was borne out of having to spend so much time together in the evenings, poring over the accounts, making plans for the workers for the next day, planning meals for all the hungry mouths to feed. It was stressful and more than Sansa could bear some days. On an evening when she just couldn't take any more demands, make any more decisions, she broke down and sobbed in Jon's arms. He rubbed her back and spoke soothing words. He promised to shoulder more of the burden, to always look after her, to always be her sworn sword at whatever cost. She immediately felt guilty. She knew he was already doing more than his fair share of the work. 

"I can't let you do that, Jon" she cried between hiccups, "you're already doing far too much".

"Shhh, Sansa" he replied, "it's important to me that you be happy and and if it means I have to put in more effort to get this done then so be it".

She said the words first.

"Do you know how much I love you, Jon?" she murmured, sniffing loudly while running a hand through his curls.

He chuckled.

"I'm hoping as much as I love you, Sansa" he replied daubing at the tears still running down her cheeks.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The morning of their wedding day dawned bright and sunny. The guests had been arriving gradually during the week leading up to their special day with the royal party the last to arrive. Winterfell, while still incomplete, nevertheless was looking fresh, new and festive. Aegon and Daenerys inspected the restored castle and expressed their approval that the coin they had provided had been well spent.

The couple and their guests gathered in the Godswood for the ceremony just as the sun reached its zenith. They planned on exchanging their vows before the heart tree as Jon still kept to the old gods and Sansa had lost her faith in the Seven long ago. Sansa looked stunning in an embroidered green gown with flowers woven through her intricate braids and the Stark cloak of grey and white. After the words were spoken and Jon replaced the Stark cloak with the Targaryen cloak of black and red, they returned to the great hall for the festivities. 

The hall had been scrubbed clean and decorated with freshly restored tapestries and new tables and chairs. Colorful cloths adorned the tables and vases of early spring flowers sat atop them. The guests brought gifts of food and wine, at the couple's request as both were still in short supply, to be shared at the gathering. The northern families brought mead, fresh venison and root vegetables while the southerners brought good Dornish wine, sweetmeats and fresh fruits,

Sansa and Jon spent the evening circulating amongst their guests laughing, exchanging stories and pouring wine into outstretched goblets. As the evening wore on and the guests grew more inebriated, the inevitable outcome occurred. 

"Bedding!" the drunken cry went up. "It's time for the bedding".

Before Sansa and Jon could react they were swept up in a tidal wave of insistent hands clutching and tearing at their clothes. They blushed at the bawdy comments as they were carried along to Sansa's rooms which would serve as their bedchamber for their wedding night bliss. After being dumped unceremoniously in the room, the couple pushed overeager hands out of the doorway before firmly closing and locking the heavy wooden door. They eyed each other for a moment, panting, taking in their disheveled appearance, before lunging at each other. 

"The wolves win!" declared Sansa happily as Jon lifted her up into his arms and carried her to the bed.

Sansa scooted over the the middle of the bed while Jon climbed aboard to join her. She was grabbing the hem of her shift to pull it over her head when Jon stilled her hands.

"Not yet" he said.

He knelt in front of her and gently tugged free the ribbons that supported her stockings. He slowly slid each stocking off while Sansa watched him with interest. He grasped her right ankle gently and kissed her instep. Then he slowly pressed soft kisses up her inner leg until he reached her thigh. Slipping his fingers around the edges of her smallclothes, he eased them off her and tossed them to the floor. He parted her legs and then positioned himself between them while lying on his stomach. Sansa peered at him with puzzlement in her eyes. 

"What are you doing, Jon?" she asked.

"This" he responded while hooking his arms around her thighs and placing his mouth at the auburn curls that surrounded her mound. He parted those curls and licked at her lower sex. Sansa jerked with surprise at the sensation. 

She moaned with pleasure as he continued to lick and suck her. He lapped at her like a condemned man eating his last meal. She was embarrassed by her reaction to his intense ministrations, bucking and arching her back, her thighs shaking, spreading her legs further apart to allow him to get closer. He found a spot, a delicious little nub to which he devoted all of his attention, determined to bring her the greatest joy. She could feel the tension building between her legs, spreading to her thighs and belly. She begged him for release, clutching at his hair wildly. She was relieved to receive her wish seconds later as she felt a heady rush of pleasure travel down to her toes until it slowly abated.

He grinned at her as he withdrew from between her legs to lie at her side.

"I told you I would make this a special night" he said as he kissed her belly. 

He leaned over her again to slide her shift up to expose her breasts. He circled and flicked at her nipples with his tongue as reached down between her legs to circle that nub again. She moaned as she felt the heat building inside of her again She was very wet and wanting. 

"Jon" she panted,"I need you inside of me...now".

"It's going to hurt" he warned.

"I know that" she replied with exasperation. "But what we are doing now, while lovely beyond compare, is not going to create a child".

He kissed her breasts and reached down to pull off her shift, her last remaining garment. As he moved over her, she could feel his hard cock straining against his breeches.

"For the sake of all the gods, Jon, will you please get your clothes off" she demanded impatiently, reaching out to unlace his breeches. 

He chuckled and reached down to help her.

He knelt between her legs as she then guided his cock into her entrance. She held her breath as he bumped up against her maidenhood and hissed as he broke through. He paused and kissed her gently while she grew accustomed to the feel of him inside her before he began to thrust in and out of her steadily. She shifted about, feeling for that sweet spot that would bring her the greatest pleasure. He reached down and circled her nub again with his finger as he continued his pumping motion. She didn't know who the woman was that taught Jon how to love but she offered up a silent thanks to her nonetheless. It wasn't long before she was shuddering her release again, albeit more gently this time. Jon, now unable to maintain his steady rhythm with Sansa coming around his cock, began to thrust more quickly and erratically. Within seconds he, too, reached his release and spilled inside of her with a groan.

He rested for a few seconds before withdrawing and lying down beside her. He reached down to grab his smallclothes and gently wiped up the blood still clinging to her curls. She rose up on her arms to kiss him and stare at him with a wondrous expression in her eyes. 

"You realize that I expect a repeat performance" she declared firmly, "for the good of the realm, of course".

"As my lady commands" he replied with a nod of his head and a silly grin on his face.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As spring eased into summer, the news that Kings Landing was hoping for had finally arrived. Jon and Sansa Targaryen, the Lord and Lady of Winterfell, proudly announced the birth of their son, Torrhen, the heir apparent and the future king of Westeros. Aegon laughed as Daenerys whooped with joy. Within days, Tyrion was satisfied to send another raven to Jon and Sansa to advise them of another royal visit in two moons time. Ostensibly the purpose for the visit was for the royal couple to see the sweet babe and hold him in their arms, to coo and fuss over him and marvel at his tiny hands and feet. But if the opportunity arose, Daenerys would not hesitate to inquire of the new parents as to when they planned on having a second child, a "spare", as it were. Or a third. In fact, many more would be infinitely preferable as there can never be too many baby dragons, for the good of the family and, indeed, to ensure the future peace of Westeros.

"I know there must always be a Stark in Winterfell, Lord Hand" Daenerys hummed happily to Tyrion, "but, more importantly, there should always be a Targaryen on the Iron Throne".

**Author's Note:**

> All characters belong to GRRM.


End file.
